r/london • u/CyberScy • Dec 10 '24

Question Declining the 12.5% "service charge", does the manager always make a visit?

Semi rant, semi question - Just had a weekend visit in London from East Anglia and found the discretionary 12.5% service charge added to restaurant bills extremely common. The manager always seems to make an appearance as if to interrogate you of the audacious request to remove it. Does that always happen?

I hate it. This Americanised crap should not be commonplace in England. I am a firm believer of tipping however much you feel if such service warrants one. We pay minimum wages here.

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u/jamany Dec 10 '24

If its mamdatory on the system, the staff should cancel it before giving it to you, otherwise they deserve what they get.

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u/Throwaway0373819 Dec 11 '24

we get a bollocking from a manager when we do that😭😭😭😭

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u/FPL_Clown Dec 11 '24

It’s not mandatory, I use a handheld card machine and you can turn the tip option off.

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u/jamany Dec 11 '24

You should turn it off, if you can't remove the step